The Memphis Grizzlies got off on a terrible foot in the First Round, Game 1 ending in a 51-point loss that was somewhere in between embarrassing and disturbing.<\/p>\n
Over the course of the series, the Grizzlies did improve so far as keeping the score competitive. Game 2 was yet another blowout victory for the Thunder, who defeated Memphis by 19 points in a game that was never really close. In Game 3, the Grizzlies actually managed to grab the lead over Oklahoma City, leading 77-51 at halftime. However, a third quarter collapse and injury to Ja Morant<\/a> all but disintegrated their dreams of a deep playoff run.<\/p>\n Then came Game 4. Facing elimination with another loss, Memphis was almost able to overcome OKC, even without Morant. Scotty Pippen Jr.<\/a>, who had started throughout the series due to Jaylen Wells<\/a>‘s late season injury, was particularly effective. Santi Aldama<\/a>, who’ll now prepare for free agency<\/a>, had his best game of the series. Yet, it was the minutes given to Vince Williams Jr.<\/a> that were the most illuminating.<\/p>\n Prior to Game 4, Williams had only played 19.5 minutes in the First Round, 18.5 of them coming in the second half of Game 1. Known more for his defense than his offense, he hadn’t made much of a dent on the scoreboard. Nonetheless, he was quietly impactful. Indeed, not only did he convert 50.0 percent of his 3-point attempts, he was averaging 1.9 steals and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes.<\/p>\n Vince Williams Jr. 2023-24 Grizzlies Highlights \ud83c\udfa5 pic.twitter.com\/20ldAmxe5W<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Grizzlies SZN (@Grizzlies_szn) June 26, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nVince Williams Jr. Mistake Doomed Grizzlies In Thunder Sweep<\/h2>\n
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